Department for Transport

Driving Licences

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to eliminate the backlog in issuing driving licences; and when they estimate that the backlog will be cleared.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their driving licence within a few days. However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application for a driving licence. The latest information on DVLA services and the turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found on GOV.UK.The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham to help reduce waiting times while providing future resilience and business continuity.The DVLA understands the impact that delays can have on people’s everyday lives and continues to work as quickly as possible to process paper applications and return people’s documentation to them.In October, the DVLA’s primary focus was on reducing the vocational licensing queue to support tackling the HGV driver shortage. This has been successful with vocational applications now back to normal turnaround times despite a significant increase in applications. The remaining queues are reducing and customers will see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times over the next few months.

Shipping: Safety

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport to the Chair of the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on 1 March 2018, whether the UK is now fully compliant with its maritime international convention obligations; and if not, how many of the 381 amendments to UK law are outstanding.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Her Majesty’s Government recently confirmed to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, that any outstanding obligations arising from amendments to international maritime conventions, will be implemented into UK law in 13 Statutory Instruments; all of these will be made by early 2023. Since that commitment was made in October, one more Statutory Instrument has entered into force, leaving 12 outstanding.A total of 381 amendments to the international conventions were identified as outstanding in 2017. Since then, the Her Majesty’s Government has completed 45 maritime legislative packages. We are confident that completion of the remaining 12 Statutory Instruments by early 2023 will fully implement all of the outstanding amendments.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Natural Gas: Norway

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 26 October (HL2999), when they last communicated with the government of Norway regarding the gas supply from that country to the UK; andwhen the next discussion at ministerial level is planned.

Lord Callanan: The UK benefits from diverse sources of gas supply. While we do not have the ability to intervene in international markets, we maintain a working level dialogue with key energy partners such as Norway. In addition to this, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State held a call with his counterpart in Norway, the Norwegian Energy Minister Tina Bru, on 20 September 2021.

Renewable Energy: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the use of renewable energy in Northern Ireland.

Lord Callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working closely with Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy and is committed to exploring options for Northern Ireland to join the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme – the UK’s main support mechanism for large-scale renewable generation. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State also recently met with the Northern Ireland Assembly's Minister for the Economy Gordon Lyons where, amongst other issues, there was a discussion around Northern Ireland and the CfD scheme. Current work is considering a range of issues, including impacts on consumer bills and wider implications for how the scheme operates currently in Great Britain.

Department of Health and Social Care

Eating Disorders: Research

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders reportBreaking the Cycle: an inquiry into eating disorder research funding in the UK,published on 15 September.

Lord Kamall: No formal assessment has been made. However, we are carefully considering the report’s recommendations.

Maternity Services: Prisons

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that all women's prisons have (1) paediatric, and (2) neonatal, emergency equipment; and how they intend to ensure that all healthcare staff are trained in paediatric and neonatal resuscitation.

Lord Kamall: NHS England and NHS Improvement is responsible for commissioning virtually all healthcare services in prisons in England, including clinical services for pregnant women. Basic resuscitation equipment only is provided in prisons. NHS England and NHS Improvement has consulted experts in the field of neonatal resuscitation, following which a decision was taken not to provide neonatal resuscitation equipment in prisons due to the highly specialised nature of neonatal resuscitation, which requires specialist training, equipment and immediate access to highly qualified and skilled staff. Should these staff not be available there is a risk that the equipment could be used by untrained staff which risks harming the baby. All healthcare staff should receive relevant first aid training, including basic adult life support and what to do in emergency situations where specialist neonatal resuscitation is required. This normally includes seeking a rapid response from the local ambulance service who can guide staff through cardiopulmonary resuscitation/rescue breaths and keeping the baby warm until the local ambulance service are in attendance. While the training of staff employed by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service working in prisons is a matter for that organisation, as the commissioner for NHS services in prisons, NHS England and NHS Improvement seeks evidence that commissioned healthcare providers field competent and appropriately-trained staff to fulfil specific requirements in their contractual obligations.

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory vaccines for all NHS England staff.

Lord Kamall: The Secretary of State announced a policy of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment for health and wider social care services on 9 November. The draft regulations, The Health and Social care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations, have been laid to implement the policy.

Embryos

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Kamall on 9 November (HL Deb, col 1588) that the time limit for storage of gametes and embryos will be amended by legislation to extend it beyond 10 years "when parliamentary time allows", when they expect that to be achieved.

Lord Kamall: The Department is in the process of finalising the details of the policy. The detailed implementation of the policy will be announced in due course.

Gambling: Clinics

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of establishing NHS gambling addiction clinics across England.

Lord Kamall: The NHS Long Term Plan published in 2019 announced the creation of 15 new specialist problem gambling clinics with up to £15 million of funding allocated over five years until 2023/24.The table shows the NHS committed annual spend for problem gambling mental health support: Year 1 2019/20Year 2 2020/21Year 3 2021/22Year 4 2022/23Year5 2023/24Total annual funding (£million)11346 Source: NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24

NHS: Coronavirus

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whyCOVID-19 vaccinations are compulsory for care home staff, and voluntary for NHS staff.

Lord Kamall: On 9 November the Secretary of State announced his intention to legislate to make COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and the wider social care sector. This will extend the requirement to be vaccinated to all those that are deployed to undertake a Care Quality Commission-regulated activity across health and social care. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we intend the enforcement of this condition to start on 1 April.

Coronavirus: Ivermectin

Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19; and what plans they have to permit General Practitioners and pharmacies to supply ivermectin to the public for the treatment of that disease.

Lord Kamall: Ivermectin is not a licensed treatment for COVID-19 and evidence from clinical trials of ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 is inconclusive at this stage. We have included ivermectin in the United Kingdom (UK) Government funded PRINCIPLE clinical trial to help generate conclusive data on its effectiveness in treating patients with COVID-19 who have not been hospitalised. We will continue to monitor the data from this trial and other trials completed worldwide, to expand the evidence base for Ivermectin. There are no plans to permit healthcare professionals to supply Ivermectin to UK patients for treatment of COVID-19 unless the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves ivermectin as a licensed treatment for COVID-19 in future.

Hospitals: Coronavirus

Baroness Browning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the NHS about changes they are making to (1) outpatient departments, and (2) in-patient care, to avoid hospital acquired COVID-19.

Lord Kamall: NHS England and NHS Improvement work with National Health Service trusts to ensure effective implementation of United Kingdom infection prevention and control guidance in all areas, for both outpatient and inpatient care. Mechanisms for infection prevention including physical distancing, optimal hand hygiene, equipment and environment decontamination, and extended use of face masks by healthcare staff, patients and visitors, are continually reviewed. The Department continues to have ongoing discussions with NHS England and NHS Improvement on controlling the spread of COVID-19 infection in all healthcare settings.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office for National Statistics Direct and Indirect health impacts of COVID-19 in England, published on 17 September, what assessment they have made of the 51 per cent decrease in the number of newly diagnosed cases of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in 2020 compared to 2019.

Lord Kamall: No official assessment has been made of the reduction of diagnosed cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.As announced as a part of the spending review, £2.3 billion has been allocated to increase the volume of diagnostic activity and roll out Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) to help clear backlogs of people waiting for clinical tests, such as MRIs, ultrasounds, and CT scans. This will help to improve the waiting times for conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and increase the number of people seen for diagnostic tests.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many care home residents who received two initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now received their booster dose.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not currently available. However, NHS England is planning to publish data on booster vaccine uptake in care homes shortly.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make masks mandatory (1) on public transport, and (2) in public spaces, as both COVID-19 daily cases and deaths continue to rise.

Lord Kamall: The online only COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 states that if the data suggests the National Health Service is likely to come under unsustainable pressure, the Government will implement its prepared ‘Plan B’ for England. This will include measures that can help control transmission of the virus and legally mandating face coverings in certain settings. The exact settings will be announced if Plan B is implemented.

Telemedicine: Cost Effectiveness

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost-saving implications of using video conferencing for (1) the delivery of mental health services, and (2) non-emergency GP consultations.

Lord Kamall: No assessment has been made on the cost-saving implications of using video conferencing for delivery of mental health services or non-emergency General Practitioner (GP) consultations. Video consultations allow many more people to receive safe and effective care without the cost and disruption of having to travel to their GP, hospital or clinic. NHSX and NHS Digital are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to support the continued deployment and effective implementation of video consultations across primary and secondary care. Mental health services largely remained open for business during the pandemic as services were quickly moved to providing advice and support remotely, either through telephone/videoconferencing or digital services.

Steroid Drugs: Prescriptions

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission research to establish the (1) dependency, and (2) withdrawal, risks associated with extended prescribed use of mid to high potency topical steroids, following theMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency reportTopical steroid withdrawal reactions: a review of the evidence, published on 15 September.

Lord Kamall: The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The usual practice of NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics. Research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including the risks associated with the use of high potency topical steroids. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.

Health Services: Safety

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to replace the NHS Safety Thermometer with an equivalent system to track patient safety in NHS hospitals and community care facilities.

Lord Kamall: The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement have no plans to replace the NHS Safety Thermometer system.The data generated from the Safety Thermometer has been shown to be not fit for current purposes and alternative data is available from other existing sources.For patient safety areas like falls prevention, pressure ulcer prevention, venous thromboembolism and catheter associated urinary tract infections, there is a well-established National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance or equivalent guidelines providing the best evidence on how to reduce harm. Such guidance is supported by a range of national audits and improvement capacity building, including support for measurement for improvement and new sources of patient safety data provided by Model Health Systems.

Dante Labs and Immensa Health Clinic: Contracts

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government why Immensa Health Clinics Ltd and Dante Labs have not received full UKAS accreditation to perform COVID-19 testing; whether Immensa Health Clinics Ltd and Dante Labs have received £170 million in public contracts since May last year; and if so, why public contracts were awarded to these unaccredited companies.

Lord Kamall: Dante Labs is the sister company of Immensa Health Clinics Ltd. Dante Labs have not been awarded Government contracts, they are a private testing provider providing COVID-19 testing directly to private consumers. By law, all COVID-19 tests must meet certain minimum standards set by the Government. Private providers must also complete a declaration stating that their tests meet these standards. The providers listed on GOV.UK may be at various stages of the accreditation process. They may not have full accreditation. However, they will have shown compliance with the required minimum standards as they progress through the process. We allow private providers to provide testing services ahead of achieving accreditation because achieving accreditation typically takes between six to nine months and requiring providers to achieve this before operating would create a gap in provision of approximately six months. Our mitigation against this being used as a loophole was the addition of an earlier assessment through stage two along with the end-to-end provider being assessed against the Government’s minimum standards. Immensa Health Clinics Ltd have been awarded contracts worth up to £176 million by the Department. Laboratory contracts were awarded to labs, that are compliant with the requirement to either be accredited to ISO 15189 by UKAS or to be working towards completion of this process. All laboratories were required to complete a rigorous operational, quality and technical readiness process prior to providing testing capacity to NHS Test and Trace. An independent team of clinical scientists working with Test and Trace audited the Immensa Health Clinics Ltd laboratory in Wolverhampton and reviewed their documents, including the clinical sensitivity and specificity of their testing workflow by demonstrating they match with known positive and negative samples. Immensa Health Clinics Ltd demonstrated it had met all these requirements and the laboratory was asked to register with UKAS to undertake a laboratory accreditation scheme and provide evidence of this. Laboratories can continue to operate whilst going through the accreditation process.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

The Earl of Shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 12 October (HL2877), what information they have received from the 15 companies who have submitted a proposal tothe Antivirals Taskforce.

Lord Kamall: The companies who have contacted the Antivirals Taskforce have provided a wide range of information to inform the Taskforce on the antiviral/s that they are developing. This includes, but is not limited to, detail on the antiviral’s mechanism of action, available evidence from completed studies, target patient populations and route of administration. This information helps the Antivirals Taskforce to further expand understanding on the most promising antivirals being developed worldwide.

Oral Tobacco

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they maintain a ban on snus products.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence that they have, if any, which identifies the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products.

Lord Kamall: Consumption of any tobacco product is harmful and it is the Government’s policy to support people to quit all forms of tobacco use. Oral tobacco, or snus, is banned in the United Kingdom under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.There is limited data on the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products. Evidence submitted on snus to the United States Food and Drug Administration states that there are still health risks involved with the use of snus. Although snus products contain significantly lower levels of harmful carcinogens than other smokeless tobacco products, the products contain nitrosamines, including NNN and NNK, which have been demonstrated to cause cancer, including cancers of the mouth. A copy of this evidence, Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTechnical Project Lead (TPL) Review, is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption (English summary) from Norway shows that tobacco products such as oral tobacco contains carcinogenic substances which are associated with a number of adverse health effects. This is regardless of whether the individual is a smoker or not. A copy of this summary is attached.Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption  (pdf, 894.9KB)Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTe (pdf, 5372.8KB)

Ministry of Justice

Mental Capacity

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish a consultation paper on reforming the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to facilitate small payments by people who lack capacity.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The proposals for consultation are being considered and I hope we will be able to update imminently.

Crown Dependencies: Finance

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Crown Dependencies last made financial contributions to the UK; and what were the amounts transferred.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was thesum of all the contributions made by the Crown Dependencies to the UK since April 2015.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Guernsey still declares its contribution to the maintenance of the Alderney breakwater as their contribution to UK defence; and whether Guernsey makes other contributions to UK defence.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The UK is constitutionally responsible for the defence and international relations of the Crown Dependencies (CDs), in recognition of which the CDs make voluntary contributions to the UK Government, either financially (directly and indirectly) or by providing military personnel. As these are general contributions in recognition of the UK’s overall responsibilities, and as it is in the interests of the UK to represent the whole British family internationally, these contributions are not intended to reflect the exact cost of either defending the Crown Dependencies or representing them internationally. The Isle of Man makes a direct monetary contribution to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury. The Isle of Man’s payments are broken down in Table 1 below. Table 1Financial yearIsle of Man direct monetary contribution2020-21£3,236,233.762019-20£3,177,762.922018-19£3,121,881.252017-18£3,076,351.252016-17£3,032,381.722015-16£2,981,692.94 The Bailiwick of Jersey’s contribution is to maintain an Army Reserve Unit (the Jersey Field Squadron, part of the Royal Engineers) on the island. Jersey pays the UK Ministry of Defence’s costs associated with the Jersey Field Squadron and meets the on-island costs directly. Jersey’s total contribution can be found in Table 2 below. Table 2YearBailiwick of Jersey contributions2020£1,532,678.002019£1,514,701.002018£1,063,833.002017£1,065,461.002016£1,252,121.002015£1,069,039.00 The Bailiwick of Guernsey makes part of its contribution in the form of payment of passport fees, which are passed to the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ), these are subsequently paid over to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury. Guernsey also accepts ownership of the breakwater in Alderney and is responsible for its repair, management and maintenance. Guernsey’s contributions can be found in Table 3 below. Table 3Financial yearBailiwick of Guernsey passport feesYearBailiwick of Guernsey Alderney breakwater costs2020-21£287,812.00 *2020£521,750.002019-20£546,778.002019£482,351.002018-19£513,442.002018£515,633.002017-18£460,437.042017£302,702.002016-17£453,353.152016£473,930.002015-16£463,624.802015£442,154.00 *Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue of passport fees from the Bailiwick of Guernsey in respect of 2020 was delayed and therefore receipted in 2021-22. £287,812.00 was received in June 2021 in respect of January 2020 to December 2020 and this amount will be reported in the MoJ Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022. The 2020-21 figure for Guernsey passport fees is lower than previous years, as Guernsey received a reduced number of passport applications due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Occupied Territories: Olives

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about Palestinians being prevented from harvesting their olive crops in occupied territory by (1) Israeli forces, and (2) Israeli settlers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the particular significance of olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We have repeatedly raised the issue of incidents of settler violence, including the destruction of olive trees, with the Israeli authorities. We continue to urge them to investigate thoroughly every instance to bring those responsible to justice and of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan; and what consideration they will give to this assessment when negotiating a trade deal with that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Minister responsible for human rights, met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers including Foreign Minister Qureshi, and Human Rights Minister Mazari. During these meetings, Lord Ahmad highlighted the need to address persecution, promote respect for all religions and increase tolerance for religious minorities. Pakistan's receipt of Enhanced Framework trade preferences is subject to conditions, including ratification and effective implementation of 27 Conventions on human and labour rights, sustainability and good governance. This includes complying with those conventions' reporting and monitoring requirements.

Pakistan: Females

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) forced conversion, and (2) forced marriage, of girls from minority communities in Pakistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Minister responsible for human rights, met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers including Foreign Minister Qureshi, and Human Rights Minister Mazari. During these meetings, Lord Ahmad highlighted the need to address persecution, promote respect for all religions and increase tolerance for religious minorities. He met interfaith leaders to understand the situation of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage of young girls. In addition to our diplomatic engagement, the FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages, gender-based violence and modern slavery.

Myanmar: Christianity

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported military attacks on Chin civilians and churches in Myanmar; and what discussions they have had with the government of Myanmar about such reports.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Chin state, particularly the significant troop movements by the Myanmar Armed Forces and reports of multiple civilian casualties. On 15 October, the British Embassy in Yangon released a statement urging the military to end their campaign of violence and flagging our concern for communities, their livelihoods, property and places of worship. On 29 October, the Minister for Asia tweeted her concern about the burning of homes and churches in Thantlang, Chin State. Current clashes have created mass displacement, with people now fleeing across the Indian border into Manipur and Mizoram state. This not only exacerbates the crisis in Myanmar but causes further regional instability. We are monitoring developments closely and convened a UNSC meeting on the 8th of November to discuss these issues. Following the meeting we secured a press statement from the Council condemning recent violence and calling for the protection of civilians.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are takingto prepare for the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in January 2022; what steps they are taking to ensure a successful outcome; and whatdiscussions they are having with other nuclear weapon states on the prevention of nuclear conflict.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK will work for a successful NPT Review Conference that continues to lay the groundwork and helps build the trust and confidence necessary for multilateral disarmament, as well as strengthening the non-proliferation and peaceful uses pillars of the Treaty. We will continue to play a leading role in developing nuclear disarmament verification, on which our ability to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons will depend. We will also continue to build trust and confidence amongst nuclear weapon states, and between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states. The Government has regular dialogue with Nuclear Weapon States on nuclear issues through the P5 Process. This dialogue has included our respective nuclear doctrines, strategic risk reduction and increasing transparency.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to engageas an observer in the first Meeting of the State Parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponsin March 2022.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The United Kingdom will not send Observers to the First Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Government has been clear it will not sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). We do not believe this Treaty will bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons. The best way to achieve this is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach, under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and its stepping stones approach; andwhat plans they have, if any, to join thisinitiative.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK supports Sweden's Stepping Stones initiative on disarmament, which consists of Non-Nuclear Weapon States, and we value their leadership in this area. Although we do not agree with all of their recommendations, we have constructive engagement with Sweden and a broad range of international partners on disarmament issues.

Pakistan: Females

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan regarding an independent, impartial and prompt investigation of allegations of (1) forced conversion, and (2) forced marriage, of girls belonging to minority communities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Minister responsible for human rights, met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers including Foreign Minister Qureshi, and Human Rights Minister Mazari. During these meetings, Lord Ahmad highlighted the need to address persecution, promote respect for all religions and increase tolerance for religious minorities. He met interfaith leaders to understand the situation of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage of young girls. In addition to our diplomatic engagement, the FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages, gender-based violence and modern slavery.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking ahead of theReview Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1) to clarify their nuclear defence posture, and (2) to offer unconditional assurances to states without nuclear weapons that there are no circumstances under which they would be subject to a threat of nuclear attack by the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains strongly committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and will work towards the Tenth Review Conference contributing to the implementation of the Treaty in all its aspects. The UK's nuclear posture and Negative Security Assurances were outlined in the UK's Integrated Review, published in March 2021, and the UK's National Report on the UK's progress on the three pillars of the NPT, published on 1 November. The UK considers that we can best protect ourselves and our Allies by the continued operation of a minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent based on a continuous at sea deterrence posture. The UK's Negative Security Assurances remain unchanged. The UK will not use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear weapons states party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. This assurance does not apply to any state in material breach of those non-proliferation obligations. We will continue to keep our nuclear posture and policy under constant review in light of the international security environment and the actions of potential adversaries.

Pakistan: Females

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) funding, and (2) other support, they are providing to protect girls from minority communities in Pakistan from the practice of forced conversion and forced marriage.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Minister responsible for human rights, met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers including Foreign Minister Qureshi, and Human Rights Minister Mazari. During these meetings, Lord Ahmad highlighted the need to address persecution, promote respect for all religions and increase tolerance for religious minorities. He met interfaith leaders to understand the situation of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage of young girls. In addition to our diplomatic engagement, the FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages, gender-based violence and modern slavery.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Livestock: Waste Disposal

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a support package for the farming and agriculture sector if a mass farm animal cull is required.

Lord Benyon: There are no plans for a support package to support a mass farm cull. We are continuing to work closely with the industry, particularly the poultry and pig sectors, to help them address the challenges they have recently been facing. In the poultry sector we have made available 5500 visas for poultry workers. In the pig sector, we announced a package of measures to reduce the animal welfare implications of pigs backing up on farms. These include the approval of up to 800 visas for pork butchers; a private storage aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment schemes to increase the throughput of pigs through processors; and support, together with AHDB, to identify new export markets for pork, particularly lightly processed pork. Furthermore, in England and Scotland, the two meat levy bodies have introduced a suspension on the statutory levy for pig farmers and producers during November 2021 – suspending payments of the levy pig farmers and producers are required to pay. This will amount to savings for the sector of just under £1 million. The Government will continue to monitor the evolving situation in these and other sectors and work closely with the industry through this challenging period.

Fishing Vessels: Marine Environment

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to reduce, and (2) to eliminate, sea bottom trawling in UK waters.

Lord Benyon: The UK is at the forefront of marine protection, demonstrated through the establishment of a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to ensure greater protection of our seas. Defra is continuing to work with fishermen to develop ways to reduce the impact of fishing gear on the seabed, while still allowing the industry to remain profitable. For example, 98 MPAs in inshore waters have management measures in place to protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears. Using new powers introduced by the Fisheries Act 2020, the Marine Management Organisation has recently concluded the first in a series of consultations on measures for offshore MPAs, which again seek to reduce the impact of bottom trawling. The Fisheries Act also includes a commitment to develop domestic Fisheries Management Plans to ensure UK fisheries are managed sustainably. These will consider the wider impact of gears used to target stocks.

Home Office

Alcoholic drinks: Drugs

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle drink spiking.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The reports of the spiking of drinks with illegal substances, and of other attacks on individuals in night time venues, are of course concerning. This is an ongoing matter which the police are investigating. We would encourage anyone who is a victim or a witness of the offences to report the information to the police.The Government is supporting the rollout of pilot initiatives to improve the safety of women in public spaces at night, including in the night-time economy. We have committed to delivering a £5 million ‘Safety of Women at Night’ fund, in addition to the £25 million Safer Streets Fund Round 3. These funds will support projects that target potential perpetrators, seek to protect potential victims, or deliver programmes intended to address offending behaviour. This includes, but is not limited to, policing interventions such as enforcement activity.Licensing authorities have a number of options available to them to manage the night-time economy through a range of powers to tackle existing individual premises which are causing problems including the use of conditions, licence reviews and closure powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.The SIA is running a long-term public safety campaign targeted at the private security industry on this issue. The SIA has sent out a direct communication to all front-line licence holders (over 300,000) reminding them of the vital role they can play in preventing violence against women and girls. This includes identifying and preventing predatory behaviour. The note also reminds them of their training and duty of care required of them, and guidance on how to help and support individuals in vulnerable situations. The SIA will be running a social media campaign that reinforces these messages and signposts licence holders to best practice and guidance. We know this communication is getting traction from the industry feedback the SIA have been getting; they have also received early feedback from training providers who are looking at how they can support the campaign in their training.

Public Health: Licensing Laws

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have if any, to amend the Licensing Act 2003 to add public health as a licensing objective.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government believes the existing provisions to consider health matters in relation to licensing applications are sufficient at present.Directors of Public Health in England and Local Health Boards in Wales have been responsible authorities under the Licensing Act 2003 since 2012. As responsible authorities, health bodies are automatically notified of new licence applications and can make representations based on the existing licensing objectives

Electric Scooters

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many instances of e-scooters being used illegally have been recorded in England; how many e-scooters have been confiscated by the police; and what plans they have to regulate the purchase of e-scooters.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of motoring offences in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales. However, information on numbers and types of vehicle seized is not held centrally.The Government does not have any plans to regulate the purchase of e-scooters. It is not illegal to sell an e-scooter, however under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 there is a general obligation for traders to give consumers sufficient information about goods and services at the point of sale, so consumers are not misled. The Government is currently considering the best approach to ensuring appropriate information about the use of e-scooters is given to consumers at the point of sale.Legislation was amended in July 2020 to allow for rental e-scooter trials in 32 selected Local Authority areas, which will run until 31 March 2022. These trials will assess the safety of e-scooters for their users and other road user groups, whether their potential benefits can be realised, and identify other road impacts to be addressed through future legislation. The police can deal with illegal e-scooter use by fixed penalty notices and penalty points for no insurance, ‘not in accordance’ or riding on pavement offences. Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 provides the power to seize privately owned e-scooters for driving without insurance or a driving licence. It is for the officer dealing with an incident to investigate and to decide upon the appropriate offence and enforcement action. We will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation including those relating to electric scooters.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government when was the last review of the total costof the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; what were the findings of that review; what is the most recent total cost estimate to (1) build, and (2) open, the Centre; and what are the reasons for the changes, if any, in those costs.

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent to date on the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual running costs of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been raised so far in private funding for the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; and what is the source, if any, of any commitments to raise private funding.

Lord Greenhalgh: Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

Evictions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prohibit section 21 'no fault' eviction notices.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to bringing in a Better Deal for Renters to deliver a fairer and more effective rental market that works for both tenants and landlords. We will publish a White Paper in 2022 detailing our plans for reform of the private rented sector, and we are working with stakeholders from across the sector to inform this.The White Paper will provide further detail on repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, to improve security for tenants by putting an end to evictions where the landlord doesn’t have to provide a reason. At the same time, we want to ensure landlords have the tools they need to gain possession of their property when they have a valid reason to do so.We will bring forward legislation in due course and when parliamentary time allows.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take toensure that the (1) capacity, and (2) capability, of Local Enterprise Partnerships are not undermined before a view has been formed on their future role; and what plans they have to ensure that their accumulated (a) expertise, and (b) relationships, contribute to the levelling up agenda.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is hugely grateful for the work of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) over the last ten years to support their local economies and is determined to ensure businesses continue to have clear representation and support as we drive the post-COVID-19 recovery.The Government is also grateful to LEPs for their patience on the matter of core funding. Since initiating the review into their role, LEPs have been provided with six months of core funding for the first half of 2021-22. A decision will be made shortly on releasing the second tranche of core funding for 2021/22.  The Government has been engaging extensively with LEPs and local partners, including business organisations, HE/FE representatives, and senior officials from local authorities across England and MCA Chief Executives.The future role of LEPs is being considered within the context of the Government’s landmark Levelling Up White Paper, alongside the commitment to extending devolution and strong local leadership in County areas.The outcome of the review will be set out shortly.

UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the estimate of £25 million private funding required to support the delivery of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre remains an accurate estimate of what is required; and whether the requisite amount of private funding will be available before construction commences.

Lord Greenhalgh: The independent fund-raising campaign is expected to secure at least £25 million. Funding arrangements will be in place before main construction begins.

UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the flood risks tothe Victoria Tower Gardens site proposed for the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre were last reviewed; and whether the floods in central London this year have been taken into account.

Lord Greenhalgh: Flood risks have been considered throughout the development of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. The Environment Agency have given their consent to the proposal subject to conditions which will be complied with in full.

Cabinet Office

Offenders: Employment

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Wolfson of Tredegar on 5 November (HL3354), what are the comparable figures of former prisoners employed by all government departments other than the Ministry of Justice.

Lord True: We do not centrally hold data on the total number of former prison leavers employed in each government department. Recruitment is carried out by individual departments that undertake pre-employment security checks appropriate to the level of the role.

Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925: Enforcement

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 is enforced.

Lord True: It is against the law to 'sell' honours or peerages - offering cash for awards - under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. Honours are earned, not bought, and the Government does not endorse the use of fee-charging services when submitting nominations. All honours nominations are independently validated and assessed, regardless of the source. The House of Lords Appointments Commission is an independent non-statutory advisory body with responsibility for vetting nominations for life peers in line with its published criteria.

National Security: Infrastructure

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the security implications of outsourcing UK national security infrastructure to non-UK companies.

Lord True: Government departments are responsible for managing their own security risk when procuring goods and services, including risks associated with foreign ownership, control or influence. National security risks are specific to the goods or services being procured, and the parties involved in the transaction. Risks are considered on a case-by-case basis. We are unable to comment on specific assessments owing to national security sensitivities.

Treasury

Foreign Companies: VAT

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many overseas businesses selling directly into the UK by mail order have registered for UK VAT since 1 January; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the obligation to do so.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: From 1 January to 31 October 2021, the number of overseas businesses with the declared classification of ‘retail sale via mail order houses or via internet’ that have registered for VAT in the UK is 12,111. On 27 October 2021, the Office for Budget Responsibility set out their assessment of the fiscal impact of the new rules for overseas goods introduced from 1 January 2020, which includes the requirement for overseas businesses to register for VAT in the UK for the sale of low value imported goods. Based on outturn data for the current year it is now expected that the measure will generate £1.4 billion in 2021-22, rising steadily to £1.8 billion by 2026-27, a fivefold increase on the previous estimate.

Internet: VAT

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much additional VAT revenue they have collected as a result of the changes to online platforms’ VAT liability that came into effect in January; and what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of those changes.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government introduced changes on 1 January 2021 which meant that online marketplaces were liable to account for UK VAT on sales of goods in consignments valued £135 and below which are outside the UK at the point of sale, and for goods of any value sold by overseas sellers that are in the UK at the point of sale. The Government also removed Low Value Consignment Relief, which relieved VAT for goods imported into the UK in consignments up to £15 in value. On 27 October 2021, the Office for Budget Responsibility set out their assessment of the fiscal impact of these changes as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook. They estimate the measures will generate £1.4 billion in the year 2021-22, with an expected increase each year following this.

Directors: Females

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal by the Financial Conduct Authority to count anyone who identifies as female as contributing towards the percentage of women on the boards of listed companies, specifically the impact it would have on (1) statistics on the pay gap between men and women, and (2) increasing the participation of women in business.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s independent securities regulator. The FCA has made a policy commitment to explore improving the transparency for investors on the diversity of listed company boards and their executive management teams. In line with this, it has recently conducted a consultation on proposals to change to its Listing Rules to require companies to disclose annually whether they meet specific diversity targets, and to publish diversity data on their boards and executive management. These are proposed to cover issues such as gender, ethnicity and other diversity issues.The consultation closed on 20 October and the FCA is now analysing the responses. It will be for the FCA to take forward any changes to their listings rules on this basis.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Victoria Tower Gardens

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their commitment (1) to protecting, and (2) to accessing, green spaces includes the preservation of Victoria Tower Gardens as a fully open park.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government’s commitment to protecting access to all green spaces includes Victoria Tower Gardens. There will occasionally be work or programmed maintenance that will require the temporary closure or the limiting of access to these green spaces, but the Government is committed to ensuring this is kept to a minimum.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Barran on 19 July (HL1998) andLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 27 October (HL3096), what plans they have to protect consumers under the Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019; and what discussions, if any, they are having with Ofcom on the imposition of roaming charges on customers travelling to the EU.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Consumers are protected under the Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 which is the legislation in force to ensure mobile operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad. The limit on data usage abroad is £45, which means a consumer cannot spend more than £45 unless they actively consent to continue spending over this cap.Officials have had recent discussions with representatives of Ofcom to discuss a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Lord Speaker and Senior Deputy Speaker: Staff

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whatwas the cost of the administrative team supporting (1) the office of the Lord Speaker, and (2) the office of the Senior Deputy Speaker, for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Lord Speaker’s Office is a team which is part of the wider Clerk of the Parliaments’ Office. The cost of the staff within the Lord Speaker’s Office over the last 10 financial years is as follows:2011/12: £145,9332012/13: £142,8392013/14: £136,5002014/15: £147,7702015/16: £166,8522016/17: £192,2972017/18: £197,1422018/19: £200,6542019/20: £182,9042020/21: £205,692These figures include on-costs such as pension and National Insurance contributions.As explained in my answer to HL3097, a number of other staff are also co-located with the Lord Speaker’s Office and provide support to the Lord Speaker alongside other duties, but their costs are not included within these figures as they are not formally part of the Lord Speaker’s Office.The post of Senior Deputy Speaker was created in 2016. Since then the Senior Deputy Speaker has been supported by a Private Secretary (grade HL8). Since 2018, they have also been supported by an Assistant Private Secretary (grade HL6). Given the limited number of people who have held these posts it would not be appropriate to give a detailed breakdown of salary figures, but the mid-range average annual rates for posts across the Administration at the same grade, at current rates, are as follows:Grade HL8 post (including on costs such as pension and NI contributions): £77,368Grade HL6 post (including on costs such as pension and NI contributions): £46,748In 2017 an apprentice also provided support to the Senior Deputy Speaker. Their costs included time spent supporting the Senior Deputy Speaker as well as training as part of the apprenticeship programme.Additional support, such as diary management, has also been provided to the Senior Deputy Speaker by other staff, but this has been done alongside other duties so it is not possible to split out what proportion of staff time would have been spent supporting the Senior Deputy Speaker specifically.For both the Lord Speaker and Senior Deputy Speaker, the figures outlined above are for the staffing costs only. There will be other costs associated with the running of these teams, such as stationery, computers and other costs, but as these have been accounted for as part of the costs of running the wider departments within which these teams sit, it is not possible to quantify what proportion of those costs would have been incurred in specific support of the Lord Speaker or Senior Deputy Speaker.

Peers: Attendance

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many members of the House attended proceedings of the Houseeach sitting day in (1) September, and (2) October; and how many voted in each division in (a) September, and (b) October.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The table below shows the number of members of the House who attended the Chamber and/or Grand Committee for each sitting day in September and October 2021. All attendance figures are provisional for up to three months and may be corrected in that time.  Date of  SittingTotal members attending06/09/2021425 (of whom 1 virtual)07/09/2021355 (of whom 1 virtual)08/09/2021407 (of whom 1 virtual)09/09/2021353 (of whom 2 virtual)10/09/2021187 (of whom 1 virtual)13/09/2021427 (of whom 1 virtual)14/09/2021383 (of whom 3 virtual)15/09/2021418 (of whom 2 virtual)16/09/2021333 (of whom 2 virtual)11/10/2021375 (of whom 1 virtual)12/10/2021448 (of whom 1 virtual)13/10/2021418 (of whom 2 virtual)14/10/2021410 (of whom 3 virtual)18/10/2021355 (of whom 3 virtual)19/10/2021442 (of whom 1 virtual)20/10/2021405 (of whom 4 virtual)21/10/2021426 (of whom 2 virtual)22/10/2021359 (of whom 6 virtual)25/10/2021395 (of whom 3 virtual)26/10/2021457 (of whom 1 virtual)27/10/2021395 (of whom 3 virtual)28/10/2021344 (of whom 2 virtual)  The table below shows the number of members who voted in each division in September and October 2021.   Date of SittingDivision SubjectDivision No.Votes Cast06/09/2021Environment Bill138806/09/2021Environment Bill237506/09/2021Environment Bill334006/09/2021Environment Bill418808/09/2021Environment Bill138408/09/2021Environment Bill236608/09/2021Environment Bill333108/09/2021Environment Bill429613/09/2021Environment Bill137013/09/2021Environment Bill222613/09/2021Environment Bill336613/09/2021Environment Bill433115/09/2021Environment Bill138715/09/2021Environment Bill238215/09/2021Environment Bill336015/09/2021Environment Bill430612/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]137912/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]230512/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]327712/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]427019/10/2021Telecommunications (Security) Bill137219/10/2021Telecommunications (Security) Bill235619/10/2021Telecommunications (Security) Bill332821/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]131021/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]231621/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]331021/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]431621/10/2021Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL]524226/10/2021Environment Bill132126/10/2021Environment Bill241226/10/2021Environment Bill339526/10/2021Environment Bill437926/10/2021Environment Bill5273

Peers: Correspondence

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what arrangements are available to help backbench Peers deal with correspondence.

Lord Touhig: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.All external physical correspondence received by Parliament is security screened off site before being brought to the estate. Appropriate cyber-security measures are in place to protect the Parliamentary network from malicious e-mails and spam.Members are able to specify how they wish to receive internal and external correspondence including delivery to pigeon holes, member desks or Prince’s Chamber and the option of forwarding to external addresses. Member preferences can be treated as temporary or permanent arrangements and can be varied between sitting and non-sitting days.Internal and External mailboxes are located across the estate for members sending correspondence, with stationery available from Peers’ Lobby or Millbank House Reception on request.There are also a number of arrangements available to help members with parliamentary business more widely, including responding to correspondence:Sponsorship of passes for members’ staff: members may apply for up to three passes for secretarial or research support staff.IT support: Digital Services available to members to help them manage their correspondence include the provision of Microsoft Office 365, which includes email and Teams (for telephony and videoconferencing), and file storage within their Parliamentary Network Accounts. One-to-one digital coaching sessions are available to members; these are tailored to suit the specific requirements of the individual member and can be used to focus on making the most of these tools. Members are also provided with an IT allowance, which, as well as an iPhone, entitles them to choose between two different devices out of a desktop, laptop, or iPad. Members are also entitled to a printer provided by PDS, and are expected to share this where they occupy an office with other members, with printer consumables provided by the Attendants’ office.The Library: the library offers a range of research and information services, resources and products to members in support of their parliamentary work.